Web registering mechanism



Jan. 11, 1938. DEGNAN 2,105,185

'88 REGISTERING MECHANISM I Filed larch 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENI OR I Jamcl eyaan [WW ATTORNEY 5 Patented Jan. 11, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,105,185 WEB REGISTERING MECHANISM James Degnan, Corona, N. Y., assignor to Bpeedry Gravure Corporation, poration of New York New York, N. Y., a cor- Application March 4, 1937, Serial No. 128,888

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to devices for maintaining the register of a printed web upon -which a plurality of printing operations are to be effected. Where a continuous web is subjected to more than one printing operation, as, for example, where the web is to receive multicolor printing, the importance of maintainin accurate registration of the web with respect to the printing surface of the respective printing cylinders will be readily apparent. Inaccuracies in such registration result in imperfect printing, and registration, therefore, becomes a highly important factor in multl-impression printing operations. I In existing multi-impression printing operations adjustment of the web for registration is effected manually, samples of the printed product being examined and manual adjustments made in accordance with the conditions of oper- 20 ation evidenced by such samples.

The objections and disadvantages of such operations will be apparent and an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism by means of which faulty registration will be detected in its inception.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism by means of which accurate registration of the web may be maintained at all times.

. A further object of the invention is to provide 30 a device of the above character wherein any tendency of the web toward faulty registration will be corrected automatically and in such fashion as to maintain accurate registration of the web at all times.

35 Further objects of the invention will be apparent as it is described in greater detail inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a printing operation upon a continuous web, such operation consisting of superimposing one impression upon another, wherein the need for accurate registration exists.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical circuits by means of which the mechanism of the present invention operates, this view illustrating the condition of the mechanism when proper registry of the web with a printing m cylinder exists. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the mechanism of the present invention operat: ing when the web is lagging, that is, when a portion of the web reaches the cylinder too late,

.5 in paint of time, to have the impression made upon it in such fashion as to register correctly with the previous impression.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the condition existing when the web is leading, that is, when the web reaches the printing sur- 5 face too soon to have accurate registration of the printing surface with the prior impressions.

Referring to the above drawinzs, Figure 1 illustrates the pertinent portions of a printing press upon which the present invention may be installed. The web is provided in the form of a supply roll It, suitable unwinding mechanism being provided to feed the web ll over'an idler roll I! and to a printing cylinder I]. An impression roller it maintains the web against the printing cylinder II and thereby causes the desired impression to be made upon one'side of the web. From this printing unit, the web passes over a roll l5 and to an idler roll it, from which the web passes to a second printing unit consistmg of a printing cylinder l1 and an impression cylinder It. It will be seen that this printing unit prints upon the other side of the web and r the web then passes to a web tensioning roll l8, from which it is carried to the third printing unit consisting of printing cylinder 20 and impression cylinder 2|. This third printing unit makes an impression upon the web which must register accurately with the impression made by the printing cylinder H. In order that this impression may register accurately with the impression made-by cylinder I'I, mechanism is provided, in accordance with the present invention, this mechanism now being described.

The printing cylinders are driven by a com- 5 mon drive shaft 22, by means of a motor 23 and suitable driving connections such as worm gears 24. Upon shaft 22 there is provided a cam 25 which operates a circuit interrupter 26 in a ,manner'to be described hereinafter. The shaft 40 22 is also provided with a directional switch 21, this switch being formed'as a drum and provided with a continuous contact ring 28,,a contact segment 2! which extends through almost one-half of the periphery of the switch drmn 21. and a contact segment "which likewise extends throughout almost one-half of the periphery of the 21 but upon the other side thereof from the segment 29. Contact ringer it en ages contact ring 28 while contact nnger l2 engagessegment 29 and contact ringer 33 engages segment 20. The construction of the switch 21 and segments 2! and SI is such that ,at no time will, the contact fingers 12 and 23 each of .the succeeding cylinders at the time when the corresponding portions of each of such succeeding cylinders is to make the impression which is to be superimposed upon this portion of the web. Obviously, the specific character of this indicia is of no particular importance except that it must not have too greata dimension in the direction of travel of the web to render the mechanismnot sumciently sensitive.

Suitably positioned along the path of travel of the indexing indicia is a photoelectric cell 84 for each of the successive printing cylinders with which the web is to register. Only one such cell has been shown herein and the circuit for this cell is illustrated in each of the diagram shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Such circuit consists of a wire 38 which connects the cell to the grid of a thyratron tube 36 of the type known in the trade as type 112A. The other terminal of the cell 34 is connected to the filament of the tube H by a wire 31 and through resistances 3! and II. In a typical tube circuit, resistance 38 is of 6000 ohms while resistance 80 is of 600 ohms.

The filament circuit of tube 36 includes wires web. Contact finger 33 is connected to the wire II by means of a wire II which also includes a lamp or other indicator to give an indication of the existence of a leading web.

In order that the web tensioning roll is may be adjusted to compensate for leading or lagging conditions of the web, a reversible motor 63 is suitably connected thereto. The specific connection and operation of the web tensioning roll by the motor It forms no part of the present invention and, therefore, is only illustrated schematically in the drawings. In the construction illustrated, the motor I is a 3-phase reversing motor and may be controlled by means of any suitable reversing mechanism operated by relays responsive to current flowing through the respective wires 58 and ii. In order that this may be illustrated more fully, two interlocked relays N and ii are illustrated, relay 64 being adapted to close contact members 66, i! and 68 while relay 6! is adapted to close the contact members I, II and II. An armature I2 is connected to the contacts 8, i7 and 68 and is responsive to relay coil 84 while an armature 13 similarly connected to contacts 08, II and II is responsive to relay 85. These armatures may be suitably interlocked in order to prevent a condition in which all of the contacts are in a closed position. For this purpose, and in the diagrammatic illustration shown in the drawings, the armatures I2 and 18 are mounted upon a common shaft. Relay coil '4' is connected across lamp I by means of wires and 15, while relay coil II is connected across lamp '2 by means of wires I6 and 11. It will thus be seen that when the circuit formed by the wire 58 is 1|, u and 42, a resistance 4: being connectefl'\ m the whims and will be engage terminals 63 and 54.

inthewirellandalampflinthe wire. In the typical circuit above referred to, the resistance I3 is of 100 ohms and the lamp M is of 25- watt 1l0-volt rating. The terminals of wires II and i are connected to a ll0-volt source of current.

A resistance I is connected between wires TI and H by means of a wire 46 in the typical circuit above referred to, resistance ll being of 4000 ohms.

The plate circuit of the tube 88 includes wires 41 andllwire being connectedtowire 42 and lamp 44. A condenser 40 is connected across the plate circuit by means of a wire II, the condenser having a rating of one microfarad in the typical circuit above referred to.

A relay II is connected in the plate circuit, this relay having a contactor 52 which is adapted to Terminal '3 is connected to a suitable power source by means of a wire 85 while terminal 54 is connected to the circuit interruptor 26 by means of a wire IS. The interrupter 26 is adapted to engage a stationary contact 1 which is connected to the contact finger ii. The 'interruptor 26 is operated by means of a cam 25 which, as above described, is mounted on or synchronized with the rotation of the drive shaft 22.

The directional switch 21,- ss previously described, is mounted on the drive shaft 22 or synchronized with the rotation thereof.

Contact fin er 32 is connected to a wire II which is connected in turn to lamp II and to wire II which is connected to the source of power -to which .wire I! is connected. In the circuit formed by the wire II, a lamp or other suitable indicator is connected in order to give an indication in the event of a lagging condition of the closed to connect a motor M with a 3-phase power supply indicated by the terminals L and L and 1?. These terminals are connected to 1 1 and Fl: 1 and Fe; and Z and 1 respectively.

The motor terminals T1, T3. T: are connected respectively to terminals t l, t e; t z, 2; and th. ti. It will thus be seen that the motor M will be operated in one direction when the wire 58 is energized and in the other direction when the wire "is energized. In this fashion, the tensioning of the web is effectively controlled by the motor.

Figure 2 illustrates the case where the web H is in accurate registry with the printing surfaces of therespective printing cylinders. The indexing indicia is shown directly in the path of the photo-electric cell 34 so that an instantaneous current impulse is transmitted to the grid of the thyratron tube II, thereby closing the contacts 53 and ll of the relay ii. At this instant, however, the interrupter 25 has opened the circuit. so that neither of the signal lamps N and 62 is energized.

A lagging web is illustrated in Figure 3, where the actual position of the indexing indicia is indicated by the solidly drawn spot on the web Ii, and the position of the indicia for accurate registry is indicated by the spot shown in dotted lines. In this case, contact finger 26 is in engagement with contact I! at the instant when the indexing indicia passes before the photocell dexing indicia passes before the photocell 84, the cam 25 has not quite reached the position for interrupting the circuit, so that the closure of the relay SI supplies voltage through the contact segment 20 to the lamp I and also to the relay I. The operation of relay 8! reverses the phase rotation of the voltage supplied to the motor ll so that it rotates in the reverse direction to decrease the tension inthe web H.

The foregoing construction is sensitive to varying conditions of registration of the web insofar as the web tends to lead or lag, and these conditions are corrected in their incipiency. The device may be combined with a controlling motor which automatically corrects the registration, or it may simply be used as an indicator, the press screw making manual corrections of registration in response to indicated faults.

While the'invention has been described with reference to the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Web register mechanism for printing presses having a plurality of printing cylinders comprising means responsive to preconditioned portions of the web, a plurality of electro responsive Y means, electric circuits for each of the last named means, rotatable meansin timed relation with the printing cylinders for making a connection to the circuits alternately and at regular intervals, and means actuated by the means responsive to the preconditioned portions of the web for controlling the circuits.

2. Web register mechanism for printing presses having a plurality. of printing cylinders comprising means responsive to preconditioned portions of the web, a plurality of electro responsive means, electric circuits for each of the last named means, rotatable means in timed relation with the printing cylinders for making a connection to the circuits alternately and at regular intervals, an interrupter in the circuit in timed relation with the printing cylinders, and means actuated by the means responsive to the preconditioned portions of the web for controlling the circuits.

3. Web register mechanism for printing presses having a plurality of printing cylinders comprising means responsive to preconditioned portions of the web, a pair of indicating means.

electric circuits for each of the last named means, rotatable means in timed relation with the printing cylinders for making a connection to the circuits alternately and at regular inter-' vals, and means actuated by the means responsive to the preconditoned portions of the web for controlling the circuits.

4. Web register mechanism for printing presses having a plurality of printing cylinders comprising means responsive to preconditioned portions of the web, means to vary the motion of the web with respect to a printing cylinder, a plurality of electro responsive means, electric circuits for each of the last named means, means to actuate the means to vary the motion of the web by the electro responsive means, rotatable means in timed relation with the printing cylinders for making a connection to the circuits alternately and at regular intervals, and means actuated by the meansresponsive to the preconditioned portions of the web for controlling the circuits.

5. Web register mechanism for printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality of printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression of a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia, electro responsive means, circuits to actuate the last named means by the means responsive to the indexing indicia, an interrupter in one of the circuits for breaking the said circuit at regular intervals and driven by the cylinder drive means, and a directional switch in one of the circuits and driven in timed relation with the cylinder and a rotatable switch driven in timed relation with the cylinder drive means and having a continuous contact ring and alternate contact segments connected to the circuit of the electro responsive means.

7. Web register mechanism for printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality of printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression of a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on theweb, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia, two

electro responsive means, circuits to actuate the last named means by the means responsive to the indexing indicia, an interrupter in one of the circuits driven by the cylinder drive means, and a rotatable switch driven'in timed relation with the cylinderdrive means having a continuous contact ring and alternate contact segments connected to the respective two electro responsive means.

8. Web register mechanism for printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality oi printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression of a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia, two electro responsive means, circuits to actuate the last named means by the means responsive to the indexing indicia, an interrupter in one of the circuits driven by the cylinder drive means, and a rotatable switch driven in timed relation with the cylinder drive means having a continuous contact ring and alternate contact segments connected to the respective two electro responsive means, and means actuated by the two electro responsive means to'cause the web to be advanced or retarded in relation to a printing cylinder.

9. Web register mechanism for printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality of printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression of a' second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia, a first circuit including the said responsive means, a relay in the first circuit, an indicia circuit, means to actuate theindicia circuit by the relay, and means driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means to control the indicia circuit. 10. Web register ior printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality of printing cylinders ior superimposing the relay, means actuated by the indicia circuit to cause the web to be advanced or retarded in relation to a printing cylinder, and means driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means to control the indicia circuit.

11. Web register mechanism for printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality of printing cylinders ior superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression of a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia, a first circuit including the said responsive means, a relay in the first circuit, means to cause the web to be advanced or retarded in relation to a printing cylinder, means to actuate the last named means by the relay, and means driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means to control the indicia circuit.

12. Web register mechanism ior printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality oi printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression of a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia, a first circuit including the said responsive means, a relay in the first circuit, a second circuit including the relay contacts, an interrupter in the second circuit driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means, a rotary switch driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means, a contact ring on the rotary switch connected in the second circuit, alternately spaced contact segments on the rotary switch connected to the contact ring, and electroresponsive means connected to the segments and in the second circuit.

i3. Web register mechanism for printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality oi printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression 01' a first cylinder the impression of a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web. comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia.

a first circuit including the-said responsive means,

a relay in the first circuit, a second circuit including the relay contacts, an interrupter in the second circuit driven in timed relation with the ,cylinder driving means, a rotary switch driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means, a contact ring on the rotary switch connected in the second circuit, alternately spaced contact segments on the rotary switch connected to the contact ring, electroresponsive means connected tothe segments and in the second circuit, a third circuit, means in the third circuit to control the web, and means to control the third circuit by the last named electroresponsive means.

14. Web register mechanism for printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality of printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression of a second cylinder. wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia, a first circuit including the said responsive means, a relay in the first circuit, a second circuit including the relay contacts, an interrupter in the second circuit driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means. a rotary switch driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means, a contact ring on the rotary switch connected in the second circuit, alternately spaced contact segments on the rotary switch connected to the contact ring, electroresponsive means connected to the segments and in the second circuit, a third circuit, a reversing motor in the third circuit and adapted to control the web, andrelays connected across each of the electroresponsive means to control the thirdcircuit.

15. Web register mechanism !or printing presses having cylinder driving means and a plurality of printing cylinders for superimposing upon an impression of a first cylinder the impression oi a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder applies indexing indicia on the web, comprising means responsive to the indexing indicia,

a first circuit including the said responsive means, a relay in the first circuit, a second circuit including the relay contacts, an interrupter in the second circuit driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means, a rotary switch driven in timed relation with the cylinder driving means, a contact ring on the rotary switch connected in the second circuit, alternately spaced contact segments on the rotary switch connected to the contact ring, a third circuit, means in the third circuit to control the web, and electroresponsive means connected to the segments-and in the secand circuit to control the third circuit.

JAMES DEGNAN. 

